I've Been To Over 200 Hotels & Determined The Ones With The Best Restaurants So You Don't Have To
One of my favorite parts of traveling frequently is being able to try different types of foods. I'd best describe my palate as "adventurous," and I jump at any opportunity to expand my culinary horizons. And while trying new foods in quaint hole-in-the-wall restaurants is a wonderful experience, sometimes, I'm just too tired to leave my hotel, so a decent restaurant inside the building is a plus. (Stellar room service options deserve huge bonus points as well.) I've visited more than 200 hotels in my life thus far, and based off my experience, these are the hotels with the best restaurants (in my personal opinion).
Hotel restaurants are a convenient option, especially if there aren't any around the hotel I'm staying at, or if I'm in the mood for a little late-night snack. The hotels that stand out in my mind are the ones that offer unique dining experiences without having to leave the building or even your room. I love the places that fuse local cuisines with other flavors, as well as ones that truly embrace the heritage of the area.
If you happen to find yourself at any one of these hotels around the world, do yourself a favor and try out these restaurants for at least one of your meals. I promise you won't be disappointed. Bon appétit!
01Jai Mahal Palace — Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
One thing that I loved about visiting India for the first time was the opportunity to try different variations of traditional Indian food. I already liked Indian food before I traveled there, but my love for it only grew more when I explored the northern part of the country.
Jai Mahal Palace's room service from its restaurant, Cinnamon, introduced me to the magical dish that is dal — a lentil stew. Cinnamon's specialty dal is made with black lentils and has its own coveted blend of spices. The stew felt like it melted in my mouth, and I swear, I could probably eat it every single day for the rest of my life.
02The Alfond Inn — Winter Park, Florida
Brunch is, without a doubt, my favorite meal of any day. A major downside of brunch, though, is that restaurants don't always offer it if it's not the weekend. Luckily, when I stayed at The Alfond Inn in Winter Park, Florida, I found out that its restaurant, Hamilton's Kitchen, serves brunch every day.
The brunch is absolutely delicious. I savored the cured salmon Benedict with skillet potatoes, and my mouth watered with each bite. I like to think of myself as something of an eggs Benedict aficionado — I'm pretty picky about my Hollandaise sauce — and it's safe to say that this was one of the best Benedicts I've ever had.
03Conrad Maldives Rangali Island — Maldives
Something really great about staying at an all-inclusive island resort is that they offer a variety of different food options. All of the food at Conrad Maldives is pretty amazing, but I was the most impressed with its seafood.
The crabmeat salad and reef fish from Mandhoo Spa Restaurant tasted so fresh, and I loved that the restaurant has a unique concept of theming its dishes around the five natural elements (air, earth, water, fire, and plants).
04The Driskill — Austin, Texas
I'm a huge lover of Southern food, and have proudly tried barbecue in pretty much every state in the South. But until I visited The Driskill, I never had Texan Southern food. (Let me tell you, it was worth the wait.)
The smoked brisket hash and other staple breakfast items from 1886 Café & Bakery are incredible, and of course, I enjoyed them with a glass of sweet tea. But what I was most excited to try was a Texas steak, so I sampled the hangar steak from the Driskill Grill. It was cooked to perfection and had a heartiness that made me feel right at home.
05Bluewater Sumilon — Sumilon Island, Cebu, Philippines
My parents are from the Philippines, so I've had my fair share of Filipino food over the course of my lifetime. But, I always love trying different versions of my favorite meals from childhood. On my last trip to the motherland, my parents and I stayed at Bluewater Sumilon, which is a beautiful resort situated on Sumilon Island.
Something I love about Filipino culture is our passion for food, and this hotel's heavily stocked buffets are something truly special. When I was there, my favorite part was the huge selection of fruits that I often can't find outside of Asian markets, including lychee, rambutan, Philippine mangoes, and much more.
06The Venetian Resort Las Vegas — Las Vegas, Nevada
Vegas hotels are full of different kinds of restaurants so that you never have to leave the building to grab a bite to eat. My trip to The Venetian Resort last year allowed me to sample a variety of foods that made a lasting impression. I was able to eat dim sum from Mott 32, Southern comfort food from Yardbird, and French bistro food from Bouchon. The best part? I could order any of it without having to leave the comforts of The Venetian.
07Hotel Monteleone — New Orleans, Louisiana
Criollo in Hotel Monteleone features arguably some of the best food in New Orleans (in my personal opinion). For eggs Benedict lovers like myself, it has a mouthwatering daily "Benedict" selection on its breakfast menu. The lunch and dinner menus feature other NOLA staples, including a yummy seafood gumbo.
08The Taj Mahal Hotel — New Delhi, Delhi, India
As I mentioned before, I've always loved Indian food. But experiencing it in India gave me a totally different perspective on the cuisine. The Taj Mahal Hotel in New Delhi has a restaurant called Varq that features the most creative take on Indian food I've ever experienced, by far.
Eating the food from that restaurant was a total experience in and of itself. The presentation and combination of flavors were both incredible, and I was pleasantly surprised by how the restaurant was able to make the food aesthetically pleasing but still accessible.
